Bath-tub.



PATENTBD DEC. 8, 1903.

I. W. SCHMIDT.-

BATH TUB APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 19, 1903.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

THE Mum-us PETERS co., Pncno-Lnnou wsmuu'wm. 22-6 PATENTED DEC. 8,1903:. I. W. SCHMIDT.

BATH TUB. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1903.

K0 MODEL.

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ATTORNEYS WITNESSES THE mmnls warns on. PHOYOLITNO" wnsumuRim-D. c

Patented December 8, 1903.

PATENT ()FFICE.

IDA W. SCHMIDT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BATH- TUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 746,389, datedDecember 8, 1903.

Application filed March 19, 1903.

.T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IDA W. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York,have inventedcertain new and'useful Improvements in Bath- Tubs; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to bath-tubs; and it has reference particularlyto bath-tubs to be used by persons who are more or less unable to moveabout and otherwise help themselves. A tub constructed after theprinciples of my invention will be found very useful in hospitals,sanitariums, and the like, wherethe occasion for utilizing it is more orless frequent.

The invention Will be found fully illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of my improvedtub, a portion. of it being shown as broken away to illustrate a detail.Fig. 2 is an end view showing the tub,which is made to be elevatory,elevated. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the tub,and Fig. 4. is a view of the tub partly in end elevation and partly insection.

In order to carry out the object in view, the tub is provided with awater-tight door adapted to close an opening formed in one of the wallsof the tub afiording entrance to and exit from the tub. The water isadmitted to the tub after the person has entered or been placed in thesame and the door properly closed, and in order to avoid the necessityof waiting for the water to acquire the desired level, which would beunduly protracted were it necessary to depend upon the usual pipes andother water connections, a temporary reservoir for holding the water,and between which and the tub there is a sufficiently capacious andvalved communicating means, is

provided. A

In the drawings, a is an inner shell forming the'tub proper, and b anouter shell. These shells are preferably made integral and form SerialNo. 148.492. (No model.)

between them a space 0, which constitutes the reservoir aforesaid, inwhich the water to be used is temporarily stored.

Entrance to the tub is affordedby an opening at, at which point thespace between the shells to and b is of course closed, as at e, the

material being, as shown, preferably shaped as a stepped jamb f, againstwhich the correspondingly-stepped faces 9 of the door h seat, the doorbeing supported by hinges i1 and havingasuitable latch j for securing itclosed. Between the door and its jamb may be placed a seal to make theconnection water-tight.

Z designates the fittings, which areadapted to be connected to thesupply, and m the littings adapted to be connected to the waste it,controlled by a valve 0.

In the bottom of the shell 0, is formed a relatively large opening 19,affording communication with space 0 and provided with a valve q,carried by a lever 1', fulcrumed ate and having an operating device 15.

u is a discharge-pipe affording direct communication between theinterior of shell a and fitting or, into which latter it projects. Inorder to prevent the Water in space 0 from flowing in by way of thispipe, a buoyant checkvalve 11 only opening outwardly is provided. At thefourcorners of the shell I) are formed, preferably integral with saidshell, vertical cylinders w, in which are arranged pistons w, whosepiston-rods y are supported at their lower ends on casters 2. \rAt theside of the tub is arranged a pump 1, having an operating part 2, aninlet-port 3, and a discharge 4.. The port 4 communicates with piping5,which in turn by ports 6 communicates with each cylinder above thepiston. In the system of piping is arranged a valve 7, operated by ahandle 8 for releasing the air from the system of piping and cylindersforced into the same by the pump 1.

In bathing very weak persons it isfound useful to provide means forkeeping them resting against the inclined end of the tub. This may beeffected by providing the tub with a brace or footboard 9, arranged toslide in any of pairs of grooves 10 formed in the sides of the tub.

The tub being portable, it is presupposed that the apartment in which itis used is provided with suitable water connections, which will renderit possible to move the tub from place to place.

In using the tub the reservoir is first filled, the valves 0 and q beingpreviously closed. The tub being disposed near the patients bed orcouch, the pump is operated to force air into the piping 5 and then intothe cylinders 111 above the pistons 50, so as to raise the tub, and whenthe desired elevation is thus attained the door of the tub is opened andthe patient placed in the tub. The door is then closed and secured andthe water from the reservoir permitted to flow into the shell a byopening valve g. In order to remove the patient, the valve 0 is firstopened, permitting the water to be discharged from both the shell (1 andthe reservoir, whereupon the door may be opened to permit moving thepatient back to the bed or couch. The air from the piping and cylindersis released, so as to permit the tub to lower by operating valve 7.Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of a bath-tub,cylinders arranged vertically and formingfixed portions of the tub, vertically-movable tub-supports comprisingpistons arranged in said cylinders, piping communicating with saidcylinders above the pistons, and a pump communicating with the piping,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this19th day of January, 1903.

IDA W. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. STEWARD, JOSEPH B. FLYNN.

